Can Richmond still be a contender this season?

[HTT]

LOL, seriously?

I think we can still contend providing we can stay in touch with the 8 and can get the senior boys back and healthy for a good part of the 2nd half. Looks like 12 wins will get us into finals this year, we should be able to get there. If we can finish the season with Cotchin and Riewoldt back in the side and Martin and Lynch in form we can beat anyone, anywhere. The injuries could become a blessing in disguise with the amount of games we're pumping into our kids and how well they have been performing. The injuries and form drop offs have already provided us unexpected upgrades on Butler, Grigg and Short and the workload on Nankervis isn't as brutal as it was the last couple years.

The main thing that will need to be fixed is defending against teams that can hold onto the footy, take uncontested marks and pick us apart with neat disposal. Dogs did exactly what the pies have done the last 2 times we've played them. We won't win no matter what team we put out there if we can't get better at that. At the moment it feels like Dimma puts all his eggs in the frontal pressure basket but that alone doesn't cut it anymore. When our zone defence get stretched we get picked apart. We changed our approach mid season in 17' so hopefully we can make a few adjustments from here. Maybe he is waiting until we get a decent team out there to see where we're at?

I guess 1 positive is most of our injuries have been impact injuries rather than soft tissue. So it's pure bad luck rather than poor management. That will turn around at some stage.

I read the first part of the post, then gave a like, then read the last part and tried to like again

 

[parmy2balmey]

it’s a week by week proposition

this week it’s no, next week it could be yes lol

 

[Zoom]

I would feel more confident finishing 5th to 8th than 1st to 4th. That week off if you win the QF is a killer now that we have the bye at the end of the season.

Also reckon these injuries are a blessing in disguise (as long as we can bank enough wins to secure top eight). Guys like Cotchin, Rance and Jack will be well rested by finals time.

 

[HTT]

I would feel more confident finishing 5th to 8th than 1st to 4th. That week off if you win the QF is a killer now that we have the bye at the end of the season.

Also reckon these injuries are a blessing in disguise (as long as we can bank enough wins to secure top eight). Guys like Cotchin, Rance and Jack will be well rested by finals time.

If you really want to avoid the week of in the semis, its best to finish 1-4 and lose the QF. Then you get a home semi.

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

I would feel more confident finishing 5th to 8th than 1st to 4th. That week off if you win the QF is a killer now that we have the bye at the end of the season.

Also reckon these injuries are a blessing in disguise (as long as we can bank enough wins to secure top eight). Guys like Cotchin, Rance and Jack will be well rested by finals time.

It's a knife edge...trying to secure a finals berth with our younger unbloodied players...till Cotch, JR, JG, then Dusty, Rioli possibly Rance come good!
Have the final 7 games at the G...
It may yet all turn around...
I have no idea...

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

This time a decade ago the thread heading would be Will Richmond avoid the wooden spoon?

 

[brahj]

Nah, we're cooked.

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

Ask me after the Freoooooo game....

 

[Bazzar]

I would feel more confident finishing 5th to 8th than 1st to 4th. That week off if you win the QF is a killer now that we have the bye at the end of the season.

Also reckon these injuries are a blessing in disguise (as long as we can bank enough wins to secure top eight). Guys like Cotchin, Rance and Jack will be well rested by finals time.

I wouldn't want to be 7th or 8th, good chance of having to go to the GABBA or Adelaide for an elimination final.

 

[Zoom]

I wouldn't want to be 7th or 8th, good chance of having to go to the GABBA or Adelaide for an elimination final.

I’m confident we would beat them both.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

I wouldn't want to be 7th or 8th, good chance of having to go to the GABBA or Adelaide for an elimination final.

Won at both last start.

 

[Shazza_]

I wouldn't want to be 7th or 8th, good chance of having to go to the GABBA or Adelaide for an elimination final.

bears wont even make it

 

[mhill]

There’s too much of a gap between our best and worst footy lads.
What are your thoughts and help prove me wrong ...... please!

 

[NaturalDisaster]

bears wont even make it

Agreed, they are still at least 1-2 years away from finals contention.

 

[HeadandShin]

There’s too much of a gap between our best and worst footy lads.
What are your thoughts and help prove me wrong ...... please!

If Liverpool can come from 0-3 down without two of their best players against (arguably) the best team on the planet...

Just goes to show anything is possible. 11 v 11 or in our case its 22 v 22.

Luckily for us they do not hand out the flag in May! I do not expect to enjoy the next month a lot, however I expect to be 7-6 at the bye. and then.....

We get our players back after and we can come home with a wet sail. I'm not confident that we'll go top 4 (but am hoping). But I am confident that we'll make the 8 (5th or 6th) and then it's only 4 games. We will be stronger for having been force to play Stack, Ross, Baker, Bolton and Balta (and maybe Pat or RCD). Some of those guys will remain on as best 22 once our stars are back.

Go Tigers!!

 

[Shazza_]

Agreed, they are still at least 1-2 years away from finals contention.

10

 

[fumbler]

We can if anyone can

 

[Al Heimer]

Nope and Freo will all but confirm this sad fact.

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[sportshow]

yes

 

[Bazzar]

There’s too much of a gap between our best and worst footy lads.
What are your thoughts and help prove me wrong ...... please!

The gap between the Dogs best and worst in 2016 was greater.

 

[No_Spoke]

There’s too much of a gap between our best and worst footy lads.
What are your thoughts and help prove me wrong ...... please!

It could instead be the late 90s/00s

 

[peterbuch74]

100% we will still be a contender this season.
Ride the next month out and see if we can snag one or two, and then hit the second half strong with returning players.
I don't expect to win it all this year (hard to imagine so given where we are right now), but I do expect us to be in a position to at least so what happens.
Remember the doom and gloom in 2017 after starting 5-0, then falling to Adelaide by 76, Bulldogs by 5, Freo by 2 and the Giants by 3?
No one could have imagined what was still to come.
Injuries to key personnel have hurt us at the moment, but it's also given opportunity to young talent to test themselves at the top level.
We'll come out the other end better because of it, and our depth will be better than it was before it.

 

[JR82]

Hold on & get through this next stage & we'll be right, our guns will be fresh for September. Others are peaking now & have had no injury trouble (Cats for one) more than happy to let them at this stage, they'll crumble when the heat is on as always.

 

[prodigy1311]

I wish i shared some of the optimism on this thread. Our losses thus far have been really bad, we may just scrape into the 8 leaving too much work for our stars come septmber......I hope am bloody wrong tho and we storm into the top4 somehow....

 

[JR82]

I wish i shared some of the optimism on this thread. Our losses thus far have been really bad, we may just scrape into the 8 leaving too much work for our stars come septmber......I hope am bloody wrong tho and we storm into the top4 somehow....

long way to go yet, if we were 4-3 with our best side in each week there'd be concerns, but it's pretty much a 2nd string side & we are still holding around 50% on win/loss atm so still in a good position.